I think that flea-flicker to start the game was designed to "open up" the field but I have to admit that SD's D-backs played a great game. At first I thought it was Brady just being off , but you could see in the replays that there was just nothin' there and even when there was - the windows were tiny . It also led to Brady holding the ball a tick too long and paying for it with some pretty good body shots ( luckily no damage done )

Hopefully this game was an anomaly and the Pats will continue to work the kinks out.

PS - Not an O'Brien fan here ...but I gotta believe its BB's final say on what to run on 4th and 1

I did question a few calls yesterday. The 4th and 1 of course being the most Blatant. Also I was P!zzed at the back to back throws when we picked up 9 on the first down running. That Flea Flicker actually looked to be a pretty good call but Brady really threw a bad ball there. Let's see what happens against the Vikings. They aren't as good defensively as the Chargers are this year. I honestly think the Chargers were the best D we played against so far.

In 2009, I blamed the one dimensional offense, scapegoated the new guy last year, then I blamed Moss for wanting the ball too much this year, and now I feel like maybe it is really O'Brien and the fixation with throwing the ball a la McDaniels. When it's time to go for it on a makeable 4th and 1 against a mediocre run D (at best), everyone will ask about the call, where instead they should be asking why does this guy ignore the run the entire game, especially the first half? How do you expect your O Line and offense to generate a rhythm when playcalling is so predictable? He continues to eliminate production for entire halves simply by forcing plays. Case in point: 1st QTR - 1st down, BJGE 8 yards. 2nd Down, Pass. 3rd and 2, pass. Both incomplete, 3 and out. WHY on earth are you passing two times after an 8 yard run? SD has a very good pass D and you go to a spread on 2nd and 2 and 3rd and 2? Where were the screens, draws, counters, etc, in the first half? this is just tiring. All we hear all week long is how "they Pats like to spread you out". Ok, well maybe they shouldn't be so F'n obvious/predictable anymore? Where is Edelman? Where are earlier deeper routes to Tate off play action? It's like O'Brien can only get going in one of the halves, and this year, it's the 2nd half. That appproach will not work agaisnt better Ds. WAKE UP, O'Brien. AWFUL. GRADE: FPosted by BBReigns

I can' t agree with you anymore. My #1 problem with this team is our play calling. That was by far the worst set of calls I've seen this year. 8yd Rush, pass twice after?????

I agree that when you get eight yards on first down, try running it again. I've been frustrated with this for a while.

However, every game is a microcosm. San Diego has among the best offensive and defensive stats in the league for what is now a 2 & 5 team. Their defensive prowess may account in some degree for New England's lack of overall offensive output but we fans rarely credit the other team for anything, we simply say the PATS s _ _ k, of some facet of the team s _ _ ks, such as the pay calling or the Q.B. or whatever. We should also remember that San Diego let Cromartie go at CB and he's not chicken salad back there, so they must have pretty good DB's.

What should have us dancing in the street is the defensive play for three quarters, it was very good. A pass rush is developing. The defense forced or picked up four turnovers in the first three quarters of play. Who would have thought that in say, July? Not many. Who would have seen the PATS as winners of this game in San Diego in July? Again, not many. We beat those guys in their own house. Last year we couldn't buy a win on the road. Now we've got two in what are tough places to win. The play in the defensive secondary is becoming pretty solid. There was more than one occasion where Rivers had no one to throw to and he was under pressure most of the day and the run was shut down. It was the move in the fourth quarter, up 23 - 6, to start with the prevent defense that led to our angst at the end of the game. However, I note that on their last drive to the missed FG, that the Chargers started at about mid field and hey could only move it into position for a forty five yarder. Not bad, considering that last year we probably would have given up the TD. The false start penalty shows Charger indiscipline, not PATS indiscipline and accounted for the win in the end. The win is the most important stat. Rivers had great stats and many fantasy people are happy this morning if they have him on their fantasy team but they lost the game. I suspect Phillip Rivers is very unhappy about that stat. and we should be correspondingly HAPPY to be 5 & 1, which are the most telling stat for the NFL's elite teams this morning. I hope it holds up.

I'm getting excited about their defense. Still to early to say anything, but it appears to me that they are getting just a little bit better week by week. Fun to see these young guys fly around the field.

That was the type of game that as a fan you cant really ENJOY. I hate to say it but its true.

I love the Defense..I hope Chung is OK. He would have made a HUGE difference in the 2nd half when we were playing "Prevent from Winning" Dime Packages. Sergio did come up huge but who knows with Chung in the whole half. Chung is top 3 Tackler on Team.

Oh Matt Light, you're still here? Didn't see you out there.... Now Please move over to RT. Thank you.

That was the type of game that as a fan you cant really ENJOY. I hate to say it but its true. I love the Defense..I hope Chung is OK. He would have made a HUGE difference in the 2nd half when we were playing "Prevent from Winning" Dime Packages. Sergio did come up huge but who knows with Chung in the whole half. Chung is top 3 Tackler on Team. Oh Matt Light, you're still here? Didn't see you out there.... Now Please move over to RT. Thank you.Posted by MuellerTime19

Yeah, the writing is on the wall for Light to retire next year. I think they kep him one year too long as it is. He is constantly getting beat and Brady is taking the beat downs.

I think lately he has mixed it up a lot more. The play calling was fine with a couple of exceptions. I didn't like the 4th and 1 call. But every dang game no matter who is calling the plays is going to have a couple of bad calls.

I was critical of O'Brien for his predictability. I'll be the first to say that. But play calling wasn't the problem yesterday. He mixed it up decently and going with the no huddle sparked things at the right time. They got manhandled by the SD defensive line plain and simple. Stuffed was the word of the day for BJGE and Brady got pressured all day without blitzes. Light got owned. I'm starting to see that the positions of priority is not a DE but a tackle and running back for next years draft.

Had a couple of good time consuming drives, but the Pats did not fully capitalize on turnovers....won't be able to do that against the Steelers, Colts and Jets and still win. Defense played great and continues to improve.

This is probably how Jets fans felt last week. Jets looked mediocre at best and get a gift call to win the game. Posted by BBReigns

..mediocre game, yes. a win,yes. Just as people here say "a win is a win" it applies too to that game. And what "gift call" are you referring to? Are you gonna join maybe 2 or 3 others (out the total posting community) and say that was NOT pass interference on the Denver defender?

I had a problem with not punting the ball on fourth and one with two minutes to go in the game.Mesko had already killed two punts inside the twenty and it was better than even money he would have done it again from his forty-nine.Having said that,I had even more of a problem with the call.The OL was having its worse game of the year by far(Light and Donnelly were pasticularly horrid)after having played well to date.The Chargers had nine guys on the line of scrimmage and we run right into the teeth of the defense and let's face it BJGE doesn't explode off the ball the way many backs do.Slip a TE off the line in play action and it's a gimme.Frankly,a lot of plays would have been infinately better.The Chargers came into this game at 2-4 despite their number one ranking on offense and defense,and they are now2-5.Why?they make too many turnovers and commit too many brain dead penalties in critical situations.George AllenTom Landry and other NFL coaches have said 75% of all games are lost,not won (and there were a lot of instances of it Yesterday,as there are every week,just look at the Steelers and Ravens wins as a good examples).What did Pats do to deserve the win even in the face of their offense coming out flat,the OL being terrible after playing so well to date,Brady being off target in the first half and not having a typical Brady day overall,B.B.starting to play a soft zone,prevent defense starting in the middle of the third quarter with a young defense that plays much better being aggressive and pro-active rather than soft and reactive and giving up a bunch of yards(but not a lot of points when they were attacking)?They did not turn the ball over and they didn't take stupid penalties at crucial times,that's what and that is often enough.By the way,has anyone seen any report on Chung's injury?He would have been big for the Pats in the fourth quarter.